How Good was Affirmed in 1978?

Maybe there is no secret to becoming a Triple Crown winner. Maybe all that’s required is simply being that good. Since 1978, a total of twelve horses have arrived at the Belmont Stakes with the hope of winning one more and earning the chance to stand next to Affirmed in the halls of the racing immortals. The failure or misfortune of those attempts is what brings us to the current state of the Triple Crown and the record breaking drought that began after one of the most memorable stretch duels in racing history.

Over these long and grueling 35 years there have been many theories as to why we haven’t seen another Triple Crown winner. Along with that there has been even more analysis of what it will take to be the next. Not to dismiss any of them for some are valid and intriguing but maybe sometimes we’re making it too complicated. Perhaps there answer is rather simple; Affirmed was one of the greatest and since he dazzled us in 1978 we have yet to see a horse match his brilliance.